Archinect - News

Editor's Picks #317

2013-05-28T19:03:00-04:00

In the latest edition of Working out of the Box: Archinect interviewed Larraine Henning who is currently seeking funding for A Practical Guide to Squatting on Indiegogo. @bawshaw commented "@LandMass - agreed. although the thesis is interesting, this is not out of the box in terms of a career"...Yet Connely Farr disagreed "@ LandMass - yep. you sound like an ass".

In the latest edition of Working out of the Box: Archinect interviewed Larraine Henning who is currently seeking funding for A Practical Guide to Squatting on Indiegogo. Buy a copy of the book “A Practical Guide to Squatting”, and help support independent art and promote the squatting movement! During the interview, she reflected "I think the most valuable thing architecture school bestowed upon me was tolerance and persistence...School taught me to bear conviction and purpose with whatever project I take on, to be earnest and to take judgement in stride"...

@bawshaw commented "@LandMass - agreed. although the thesis is interesting, this is not out of the box in terms of a career. half of my graduating class ended up taking similar paths; more as a product of the recession than anything else. these paths may be alternative to the modern career, but not to architecture specifically. i do applaud her for doing what she believes in".

Yet Connely Farr disagreed "@ LandMass - yep. ...

Aleppo landmark Mosque, a Unesco world heritage site, has been destroyed

2013-04-26T12:48:00-04:00

The mosque, which is a Unesco world heritage site, has been in rebel hands since earlier this year but the area around it is still contested.

Both the state news agency and footage uploaded on YouTube show the 'disappearance' of Aleppo's Umayyad Mosque. The mosque is a Unesco world heritage site but has been at the heart of bitter fighting for several months as rebels try to oust President Bashar al-Assad. In photos published by AP on April 16th it was battered but still standing.

Melnikov House facing demolition

2013-04-15T20:45:00-04:00

The Russian avant-garde architect Konstantin Melnikov’s seminal cylindrical house in Moscow, which has inspired architects around the world for nearly a century, is gravely threatened by construction of a large multipurpose complex abutting its tiny backyard, Russian and international preservationists say.

#FolkMoMA

2013-04-11T14:04:00-04:00

Get it trending: #FolkMoMA

MoMA to raze ex American Folk Art Museum building

2013-04-11T00:39:00-04:00

MoMA officials said the building’s design did not fit their plans because the opaque facade is not in keeping with the glass aesthetic of the rest of the museum.

Robin Pogrebin reported that MoMA expects to have the building demolished by the end of this year.

h/t Donna Sink over at TC, who commented "It's tragic. We need to start a thread on it and call for a boycott of the new project by all architects. If MOMA moves ahead with this I will never step foot in their museum again"...

Havana's overlooked Art Deco architecture

2013-03-25T10:19:00-04:00

These landmarks are not as grand as the Chrysler Building in New York, and there is no Art Deco district like Miami Beach’s, but fans say there is an unusual wealth and diversity of stock, much of which has remained standing — if poorly maintained — through 50 years of Communist rule.

Some 250 Cuban and foreign connoisseurs met last week in Havana for the start of the World Congress on Art Deco which runs until March 27th. Victoria Burnett interviewed a number of the organizers and participants and spoke to them about challenges facing the owners of Art Deco homes who struggle to find the money or building materials for proper maintenance.

OMA Trumps Preservationists in Battle to Turn Venetian Palazzo into Department Store

2013-03-20T15:00:00-04:00

Architecture’s favorite black humorist Rem Koolhaas is at it again, off planning a Venice Biennale that stresses the dangers of globalization while battling conservationists for rights to transform a 16th-century Venetian palazzo — which currently serves as a post office — into a retail hotspot. Koolhaas’s firm OMA and its client Benetton recently secured permission to redesign the palazzo into a department store/cultural venue after five years of facing resistance from preservationists.

Editor's Picks #303

2013-02-19T12:33:00-05:00

For the latest edition of the ShowCase feature, Archinect profiled 253 Pacific Street, a project designed James Cleary Architecture. It is a newly constructed building in Brooklyn, New York containing three duplex residences.

News

Planetizen covered Arup’s proposal for a "smart" building that will plug into "smart" urban infrastructure and cater to an increasingly dense and technology-savvy urban population. Fred Scharmen thought the proposal featured "Fantastic graphics" yet toasteroven continued his criticism from last week "I'm a little perplexed by this proposal - one the one hand it assembles all the ideas into one building (which should be larger city-wide infrastructure, not in a single building), but it's a little too ‘plug-in city’ for me - as in verging on completely unrealistic and incredibly naive about how the city really functions".

Apparently Ryan Griffin agreed, referring to the title of the news posting he wrote "radical? maybe helpful to post in a...

Paul Rudolph's Orange County Government Center to be saved

2013-02-13T17:38:00-05:00

The long, rancorous debate over the fate of the Orange County Government Center ended abruptly Wednesday, as a group of Republican lawmakers sided with Democrats to pass a proposal to renovate the 43-year-old complex.

Fendi To Rescue Crumbling Trevi Fountain

2013-02-07T11:47:00-05:00

Luxury fashion will meet Roman architecture as Italian fashion house Fendi has pledged €2.1 million to restore five of Rome’s beloved fountains, including the iconic Trevi Fountain. Fendi, founded in Rome in the 1920s, is now part of French luxury giant LVMH. The fashion house opted to invest in restoring one of Rome’s architectural treasures due to a self-described “deep bond with the Eternal City.”

Richardson-Olmsted Complex Reuse to Include Boutique Hotel

2013-01-28T15:29:00-05:00

The redevelopment of the Richardson Olmsted Complex will...transform the former Buffalo State Hospital from a place of healing to one of hospitality. The design builds upon Olmsted's original intent while conserving existing resources, preserving the fabric of the space, and creating connections and purpose.

Editor's Picks #298

2013-01-15T11:43:00-05:00

The 14-year battle over the fate of the modern structure at the heart of Gettysburg National Military Park is over, as the National Park Service will begin demolishing the Richard Neutra designed Cyclorama building as soon as February. A disappointed Donna Sink argued "How can destroying what is truly a unique piece of art while allowing KFC to be visible from the battleground furthering our appreciation of the tragedy of this battle?"

News
Amy Worden explained that the 14-year battle over the fate of the modern structure at the heart of Gettysburg National Military Park is over, as the National Park Service will begin demolishing the Richard Neutra designed Cyclorama building as soon as February.

A disappointed Donna Sink argued "I've said this elsewhere but I want to say it here too: Detractors claim that this building is insensitive because it was built on the actual battlefield where soldiers died. I can't disagree completely with that sentiment...How can destroying what is truly a unique piece of art while allowing KFC to be visible from the battleground furthering our appreciation of the tragedy of this battle?".

Bustler.net reported the young Slovak firm, Nice Architects, has won the first prize in the architectural/urban design competition "Parkhill" aiming to transform the area of a former open air amphitheater in Bratislava, Slovakia. Nice Architects' winning entry is a collaboration ...

Preservationists get 30 days to fix suit on old Prentice Women's Hospital

2013-01-14T13:05:00-05:00

A judge on Friday gave preservationists 30 days to amend their legal challenge to a landmarks commission ruling that would appear to doom old Prentice Women's Hospital, but strongly hinted that time is running out for the Streeterville structure.

Cyclorama building at Gettysburg will be demolished

2013-01-11T13:58:00-05:00

The National Park Service said Thursday that it would begin demolishing the Cyclorama building as soon as February, clearing the site ahead of the 150th anniversary commemoration of the battle. The site will be restored to its 1863 appearance, complete with a period apple orchard and replicas of the wood fences that once crisscrossed the fields, park spokeswoman Katie Lawhon said. The massive painting that the building once housed has been separately preserved.

Editor's Picks #297

2013-01-09T12:48:00-05:00

Alison Cuddy of WBEZ 91.5 reported that the Save Prentice Coalition has made the case that re-using the former Prentice Hospital could mean more money, jobs...curtkram was puzzled "hmm. i used to live on the north side of chicago and i don't recall ever seeing this building. anyway, aside from preserving this building because of it's characteristic of a historic style, or because some particularly important person thinks it looks cool, there is a good argument for sustainability".

Archinect finished reflecting back on the 2012 most trafficked pages in Archinect's diverse online ecosystem, with a list of 12 top 12 lists for '12. As always, they listing the most popular pages from across the site, based exclusively on visits by unique page-views. We completed the look-back by publishing the; Top 12 Blogs for '12, Top 12 Blog Posts for '12, Top 12 Live Blogs for '12, Top 12 Projects for '12, Top 12 Firm Profiles for '12, Top 12 People Profiles for '12, Top 12 School Profiles for '12, Top 12 Jobs for '12, Top 12 Competitions for '12 and finally the Top 12 Discussions for '12.

News
Alison Cuddy of WBEZ 91.5 reported that the Save Prentice Coalition has made the case that re-using the former Prentice Hospital could mean more money, jobs. The reuse alternatives for the Bertrand Goldberg-designed Prentice Hospital were unveiled at a press conference on January 3, 2013. You can view the presentation here (PDF file).

mantaray corrected Thayer-D "First of all,...

Preservationists say rehabbing rather than demolishing Prentice Hospital would mean more revenue and jobs

2013-01-04T20:12:00-05:00

The study argues that re-using Prentice and developing a new facility would generate more money and jobs than demolition and new construction. The study claims the rehab would generate one-time taxes and temporary jobs, in fields ranging from construction to finance and insurance. And a re-designed, multi-purpose Prentice would mean 980 permanent jobs and just over $1 million a year in local tax revenues.

The reuse alternatives for Prentice were unveiled at a press conference on January 3, 2013. You can view the presentation here (PDF file).

Preserving Palestine’s architectural heritage

2013-01-03T19:55:00-05:00

Salameh is heading the “Adh Dhariyeh” project, in the south of Hebron, where he began with single-building restoration and has progressed to a community centre and two schools...“Dhariyeh is one of 50 historical sites whose renovation Riwaq has undertaken and which constitute 50 per cent of the architectural heritage of Palestine.” Salameh says. “There are almost 900 old buildings and the project is funded by the Arab Fund in Kuwait.

Rafique Gangat writes about Riwaq, a Palestinian non-profit organisation established in 1991 in Ramallah, by a group of architects, many trained in the West. Riwaq aims to safeguard Palestinian heritage through a number of projects including; the establishment of a National Register of Historic Buildings, various publications, an on-line exhibition of Palestinian tiles and their 50 Villages Project. Following the completion in 2007 of a comprehensive architectural survey of Palestine, Riwaq decided to focus their efforts towards the restoration and rehabilitation of 50 villages, which contain 50% of all historic buildings, in rural areas of the West Bank and Gaza.

HT Bryan Finoki of subtopes

David Wright House Saved - Preservation Success

2012-12-20T17:25:00-05:00

The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy has facilitated the purchase of the David and Gladys Wright House in Phoenix, Arizona, through an LLC owned by an anonymous benefactor. The transaction closed on December 20 for an undisclosed price. The property will be transferred to an Arizona not-for-profit organization responsible for the restoration, maintenance and operation of the David Wright House.

A world-class encyclopedic art museum, complex re-opens in New Haven

2012-12-15T18:22:00-05:00

Balance. For decades we’ve had an art culture that tries to wow us with too muchness — blockbusters, biennials, bank-breaking museum buildings no one needs — and that ends up delivering way too little. Could it be that the day of just enough is upon us, and that Yale’s just right museum is a bellwether?

Holland Cotter reviews the final results of the $135 million renovation and expansion of Yale’s museum complex. The entire refurbished complex — a block-and-a-half-long stretch that is itself a museum of changing architectural styles — officially re-opened two weeks ago. Consisting of the 1953 Kahn building and two adjacent buildings on Chapel Street — the so-called Old Yale Art Gallery, a 1928 neo-Florentine Gothic building and Street Hall, a Ruskinian Gothic structure from 1866 — the renovations and additions have combined to give the respected institution an "aura of a destination'. The paper also recently published a profile of Jock Reynolds, director of the Yale University Art Gallery, by Charles McGrath. Therein McGrath explored the successful tenure of the sculptor turned director who has "caused hundreds of millions of dollars...to pour into Yale’s coffers" or to put it another way "He makes money rain on the place".

Melnikov House in danger of collapse

2012-12-12T15:26:00-05:00

The house is still inhabited by Viktor's daughter, Ekaterina Karinskaya. Ever since Viktor died in 2006, there have been plans to turn the building into a museum, but a family dispute involving Ms Karinskaya, her sister, the Moscow government and a multi-millionaire has meant that no progress has been made. Preservationists say a nearby construction site has caused the foundations of the Melnikov House to be put in danger.

18th-Century French Chateau Razed 'By Mistake'

2012-12-05T11:45:00-05:00

The mayor's office in Yvrac said Wednesday that workers who were hired to renovate the grand 13,000-square-meter (140,000-square-foot) manor and raze a small building on the same estate in southwest France mixed them up. "The Chateau de Bellevue was Yvrac's pride and joy," said former owner Juliette Marmie. "The whole village is in shock. How can this construction firm make such a mistake?"

Via rfuller in the Forum: Chateau de Bellevue destroyed by idiots.

Prentice Women's Hospital gets a temporary reprieve

2012-11-16T17:55:00-05:00

A judge Thursday gave at least a temporary reprieve to old Prentice Women's Hospital by stopping the city from issuing a demolition permit to Northwestern University until it can be determined whether the process by which the building was denied landmark status was properly carried out. Circuit Judge Neil Cohen said the public's interest would be harmed if the building came down before the merits of a lawsuit filed by preservationists were considered.

The city’s vintage town houses aren’t getting any younger.

2012-11-15T00:14:00-05:00

“In historic districts, the commission always regulated the entire lot,” said Sarah Carroll, the director of preservation at the agency. “But in the last decade we’ve been seeing more applications for rear-facade changes, particularly in Brooklyn, where there hadn’t been as many changes in the rear yards as in the past. And so we’ve been focusing more on the interiors of blocks.”

Constance Rosenblum reviews a number of recent examples of "contemporary" brownstone renovations in NYC. The article refers to work by Michael Rubin Architects, Rafael Viñoly, Rogers Marvel Architects, Kinlin Rutherfurd Architects, David Hecht and Brendan Coburn Brooklyn architects. One basic point is that the town-house typology, proves very adaptable. However, there is a tension between flexible accommodation and rigid preservation-ism, in terms of aesthetic conservation.

Buyer drops bid to purchase David and Gladys Wright House

2012-11-13T17:23:00-05:00

“While the prospective buyer strongly supports efforts to preserve the David and Gladys Wright house, he has concluded that for personal and business reasons, this is not an opportunity he will pursue at this time. He has every confidence that a preservation minded buyer will be found, and that the house will be preserved," representatives of the prospective buyer told Joffe.

How Detroit Became the World Capital of Staring at Abandoned Old Buildings

2012-11-12T11:30:00-05:00

Ruins don’t encourage you to dwell on what they were like in their heyday,before they were ruins. The Colosseum in Rome or the amphitheater at Leptis Magna have never been anything but ruins. They’re eternal ruins. It’s the same here. This building could never have looked more magnificent than it does now, surrounded by its own silence. Ruins don’t make you think of the past, they direct you toward the future. The effect is almost prophetic. This is what the future will end up like...

Frank Lloyd Wright's David House: Sold & Saved

2012-11-06T11:36:00-05:00

The current owners have reached an agreement to sell the early 1950s home to a buyer who wants to preserve and restore it, real-estate broker Robert Joffe said Wednesday. The property is being sold for the listing price of nearly $2.4 million to a buyer who wishes to remain anonymous

Plan For Cuban Landmark's Rebirth Sparks Debate

2012-11-04T13:03:00-05:00

Carlos Acosta's plan to inject life into the island's hidebound ballet scene by refurbishing Havana's crumbling dance school and turning it into an international center for culture and dance has ignited controversy for daring to reimagine the original architect's vision. Acosta was visibly frustrated by the flap over what he views as a way to give something back as he prepares to retire from London's Royal Ballet after a celebrated career.

Previously on Archinect: Unfinished Spaces premieres tomorrow night on PBS; Archinect talks to the filmmaker

Preservationists back out before fight over FBI’s Hoover Building even begins

2012-10-29T17:09:00-04:00

The public doesn’t typically consider the Brutalist buildings historical — they consider them ugly. The Hoover Building in particular was named the ugliest building on Earth earlier this year by a travel Web site. And now that Penn Quarter has evolved into a posh residential community, neighbors of the building want it gone.

The cost of living in a "landmark status" Frank Lloyd Wright home

2012-10-26T14:13:00-04:00

Its owners are hoping to sell the house before Nov. 7, when the City Council is scheduled to vote on giving it landmark status, which they oppose. Though they agree that the house ought to be saved — “The property is gorgeous,” Mr. Sells said in its master bedroom one morning — they say they must first safeguard their investment, as well as their livelihood. “If it becomes a landmark,” Mr. Sells said, “we’re out of business.”

Mecca's mega architecture casts shadow over hajj

2012-10-26T12:45:00-04:00

Towering over Mecca, this is the world's second-tallest building – and it is just a tiny part of a voracious development that has seen historic sites bulldozed and locals forced into shantytowns.